Original christmas tree transport system

ABSTRACT

A Christmas tree transport system formed of a folding polyethylene plastic sheet tarpaulin apparatus which allows a user to easily enclose and transport a Christmas tree. The apparatus fastens with VELCRO brand hook and loop fasteners, and allows the user to place a natural Christmas tree within the apparatus without spilling the needles. The re-useable apparatus includes attached handles and wheels, allowing a user to quickly and easily enclose and move the Christmas tree. After use, the Christmas tree transport system folds compactly to store in a small space.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a Christmas tree transport bag and moreparticularly pertains to placing a Christmas tree within the apparatusto aid the user in transporting the tree.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Christmas tree disposal bags are widely known in the prior art. NaturalChristmas trees are commonly bulky and heavy and are also prone to shedsharp needles and drip sap. These properties are likely to cause damageto walls, floors or furniture during the process of transporting thetree to and from a display area. Persons transporting the tree arecommonly injured while handling the tree. The prior art only partiallyaddresses these problems.

By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,317 toTurner an evacuative Christmas tree container.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,775 to Moore discloses a Christmas tree transportand storage satchel.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,558 to Baumler discloses a Christmas tree skirt andcontainer and floor protector.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,999 to Phair discloses a Christmas tree bag.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,878 to Lofton discloses a Christmas tree disposalbag.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,520 to Blackburn discloses a cover for Christmastrees.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,604 to DeLaura discloses a Christmas tree disposalbag.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,795 to Regan discloses a stored collapsible bag forextension about a tree for disposal of that tree.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,166 to Burke discloses a Christmas tree cover.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,906 to Bolanz discloses a Christmas tree cover.

Widely available Christmas tree bags are made of thin plastic which mayeasily rip and spill needles. Strong sharp branches frequently pokethrough flimsy plastic and may injure the user. In addition, mostChristmas tree bags are not re-useable and are non-biodegradable.Christmas tree bags that are strong enough to re-use are unsightly,bulky and difficult to store. Each of the examples above suffers fromone or more of these disadvantages.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aninexpensive but lightweight and water-resistant transport system, inwhich a tarpaulin fastens with strips of synthetic materials that adherewhen pressed together, commonly sold under the trademark “VELCRO,” inorder to avoid use of unwieldy buckles, straps, zippers and ropes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a Christmastree transport system which is durable enough to be re-useable, but isalso thin and light to allow for easy storage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a Christmastree transport system equipped with wheels, swivel casters or otherrolling means and a front handle which allows one person to easilymaneuver and transport a Christmas tree to or from the home with noheavy lifting and a second handle or set of handles to allow two personsto easily carry the tree.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies thisneed. In accordance with these and other objects, the present inventionis a Christmas tree transport system, which comprises a rectangulartarpaulin fabricated of strong woven nylon strands coated on both sideswith polyethylene film. A strip of red VELCRO brand hook and loopfastener system material is sewn to the bottom and right outer edgesviewed from the top, see FIG. 1, and to the right outer edge as viewedfrom the bottom, see FIG. 2. Additional VELCRO brand hook and loopfastener strips are sewn in the locations shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.Rolling means are attached to a plate which is attached to thetarpaulin. A handle is attached to the front top edge to facilitatetransport. A secondary handle or set of handles is attached to the rearto allow for lifting by two persons.

After placement of the Christmas tree on the tarpaulin, the left side ofthe tarpaulin is folded as shown in FIG. 5, and the right edge is foldeduntil the VELCRO edges may be attached. The bottom edge of the tarp isthen folded up as in FIG. 6, and attached to VELCRO strips on the bottomto enclose the tree within a sack. The user may then easily maneuver theChristmas tree transport system to move the Christmas tree from oneplace to another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the Christmas tree transport systemaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the Christmas tree transport system.

FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of the top of the Christmas treetransport system to show a Christmas tree in the process of being placedupon it.

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of the top of the Christmas treetransport system to show a Christmas tree in place upon it.

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of the top of the Christmas treetransport system to show the left side folded over the tree.

FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of the top of the Christmas treetransport system to show the right side folded over to enclose the tree.

FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of the top of the Christmas treetransport system to show the right and left sides folded over and theVELCRO strip on the bottom outer edge of the left side joined to theVELCRO strip on the upper outer edge of the right side to enclose thetree.

FIG. 8 is a perspective illustration of the top of the Christmas treetransport system showing the back flap folded up and the VELCRO strip onthe back flap joined to the VELCRO strip on the top to enclose the tree.

FIG. 9 is a perspective illustration from the side showing the Christmastree transport system in the process of transporting the tree. The useris pulling the Christmas tree remover by the front handle as it rolls onthe attached wheels.

FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration from the side showing theChristmas tree transport system in the process of transporting the treeinside a motor vehicle.

FIG. 11 is a perspective illustration from the side showing theChristmas tree transport system in the process of transporting the treeon the roof of a motor vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the Christmas tree transport system is shownin the exemplary drawings, FIGS. 1 through 11. FIGS. 1 and 2 show topand bottom plan views, respectively, of the present invention, generallydesignated by the reference numeral 1, in its unfolded configuration.

A flexible flat sheeting material, referred to herein as a tarpaulin ortarp 3, fabricated of strong woven nylon strands coated on both sideswith polyethylene film, is formed in a rectangular shape with first sideedge 4, a second side edge 7 a front edge and a rear edge as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Each side edge extends along the entire length of thetarp. A VELCRO strip 9 is affixed to the top along the first side edgeand another VELCRO strip 8 is affixed to the bottom along the secondside edge 7. A front handle 2 is affixed to the front edge of the tarpand a secondary handle or set of handles 12 is affixed to the bottom ofthe tarp as shown in FIG. 2.

To utilize the present invention, the tarp 3 is laid upon the ground ora floor surface as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, AChristmas tree is placed in the center of the tarp 3, with the point ofthe tree 15 oriented to the rear of the tarp and the stump 16 orientedto the front of the tarp. The first side edge 4 is folded over the treeas shown in FIG. 5. The second side edge 7 is then folded over the treeas shown in FIG. 6. The tree is enclosed as shown in FIG. 7 by couplingthe second side edge VELCRO strip 8 to the first side edge VELCRO strip4. The tree 14 is further enclosed by coupling the rear flap VELCROstrip 6 to VELCRO strips 10 and 11. The present invention 1 may then betransported by pulling on the front handle 2 while the Christmas treetransport system 1 rolls on rolling means 17. Alternatively, a seconduser may lift the rear handle 12 while the primary user lifts the fronthandle 2 and the present invention may be carried to a desired location.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Christmas Tree Transport System

2 Front Handle

3 Tarpaulin

4 First Side Edge

5 Top Attachment Plate

6 Rear Flap VELCRO Strip

7 Second Side Edge

8 Second Side Edge VELCRO Strip

9 First Side Edge VELCRO Strip

10 Rear Left VELCRO Strip

11 Rear Right VELCRO Strip

12 Rear Handle(s)

13 Bottom Attachment Plate

14 Christmas Tree

15 Christmas Tree Point

16 Christmas Tree Stump

17 Rolling Means

The foregoing description of the Christmas tree transport system is setforth as a specific embodiment, but it should be understood thatmodifications in the arrangement, number and detailed structure of theparts may be resorted to without departing from the essence, spirit orscope of the present invention.

1. A Christmas tree transport system comprising: (a) flexible flatsheeting material having a rectangular shape; (b) said material havingtwo linear side edges, a linear bottom edge and a linear top edge; (c)means for removably fastening together the linear side edges comprisinga strip of VELCRO brand fastener affixed along the entire length of eachof the said side edges such that when the side edges are folded overeach other so that the edges meet, the side edges removably fasten toeach other enclosing the tree; (d) means for removably fastening thelinear bottom edge to the body of the sheeting material comprising alower horizontal strip of VELCRO brand fastener affixed to the sheetingmaterial approximately one quarter of the total length above the linearbottom edge; (e) means for removably fastening the linear bottom edge tothe body of the sheeting material comprising a strip of VELCRO brandfastener affixed along the entire length of the linear bottom edge suchthat when the bottom edge is folded up, the bottom edge removablyfastens to the lower horizontal strip of VELCRO brand fastener thusenclosing the stump end of the tree; (f) an attachment plate of a rigidsubstance mounted to the sheeting material in the location of the lowerhorizontal strip; (g) rolling means mounted to the attachment plate topermit rolling the Christmas tree transport system when a cut downevergreen tree is enclosed; (h) a strip of cloth affixed to the linearfront edge to form a front handle; (i) one or more strips of clothformed into loops attached to the sheeting material at the attachmentplate in order to form a rear handle.
 2. The Christmas tree transportsystem as recited in claim 1, wherein the attachment means is a zipper.3. The Christmas tree transport system as recited in claim 1, whereinthe rolling means is a plurality of casters.
 4. The Christmas treetransport system as recited in claim 1, wherein the rolling means is aplurality of wheels.
 5. The Christmas tree transport system as recitedin claim 1, wherein the attachment plate is metal.
 6. The Christmas treetransport system as recited in claim 1, wherein the attachment plate isplastic